ReadWrite - privacy policyhttp://readwrite.com/tag/privacy-policy
enCopyright 2015 Wearable World Inc.http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rssTue, 31 Mar 2015 15:02:26 -0700Samsung: We’re Not Spying On You Through TVs, Promise<!-- tml-version="2" --><p>To anyone concerned about Samsung smart TVs surveilling you in your house, the company has one message for you: Settle down, people.&nbsp;</p><p>Samsung is not spying on you, <a href="http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/samsung-smart-tvs-do-not-monitor-living-room-conversations/">it promises</a>—even if the language in the electronics giant's privacy policy seems disconcerting.</p><p><a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/05/your-samsung-smarttv-is-spying-on-you-basically.html">A report from The Daily Beast last weekend</a>&nbsp;headlined “Your Samsung SmartTV Is Spying on You, Basically” pointed out a rather unsettling tidbit in Samsung's privacy policy: “Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party through your use of Voice Recognition.” </p><p>Sounds horrific, like something out of a dystopian sci-fi flick, except it governs the pricey big screen sitting in your living room.&nbsp;</p><h2>When Words Get In The Way</h2><div tml-image="ci01c6d5e2a001efe2" tml-image-caption="" tml-render-layout="inline"><figure><img src="http://a1.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTI4MDI0ODA2NjAyODQ0ODAz.jpg" /><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div><p>The previous language in the policy came off like Samsung was listening to your private conversations and handing them over to other people or businesses at will.&nbsp;</p><p>Samsung denies eavesdropping or passing along transcripts of your private conversations. The third party referenced is Nuance, the maker of Dragon Naturally Speaking whose technology powers Siri. The system transmits the spoken user commands picked up the television’s microphone or the search terms uttered into a mic-equipped remote control, so it can be interpreted and translated into commands that the TV understands. Indeed, this is the way most voice controlled features—from Apple’s Siri to Samsung’s S Voice —works. (Google’s Google Now speech features rely on <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2013/09/08/how-nuance-tapped-the-cloud-to-bring-voice-recognition-to-mobile/">the company’s own proprietary technology</a>.) </p><p>To set the public straight, Samsung has updated its language to offer a clearer idea of what happens to user data. A supplement to the policy now states: </p><blockquote tml-render-layout="inline"><p>To provide you the Voice Recognition feature, some interactive voice commands may be transmitted (along with information about your device, including device identifiers) to a third-party service provider (currently, Nuance Communications, Inc.) that converts your interactive voice commands to text and to the extent necessary to provide the Voice Recognition features to you. In addition, Samsung may collect and your device may capture voice commands and associated texts so that we can provide you with Voice Recognition features and evaluate and improve the features. Samsung will collect your interactive voice commands only when you make a specific search request to the Smart TV by clicking the activation button either on the remote control or on your screen and speaking into the microphone on the remote control.</p></blockquote><p>The company also mentioned that its microphone-equipped television listens for a specific set of basic commands, and the mic in its remote control works only when you hit a button to, say, speak a search term out loud. But, if that still creeps you out, you can shut off the voice features in the settings. </p><p>If anyone is at fault for whatever errant impressions there may be, it’s Samsung—not necessarily for the way its technology works, but for its troublingly vague disclosures.&nbsp;</p><h2>Private Eyes</h2><p>Samsung's methodology is actually common in all sorts of human-to-computer interfaces, not just voice.&nbsp;</p><p>For example, since Apple opened mobile software to third-party keyboards last year, the company updated its policy to caution users about the data they may give up to use them. Too bad most of them probably didn’t read it.&nbsp;</p><div tml-image="ci01c6d5e35001efe2" tml-image-caption="" tml-render-layout="inline"><figure><img src="http://a4.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,w_620/MTI4MDI0ODA2NjAyOTEwMzM5.png" /><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div><p>The terms refer people to the third-party app’s policy. Here’s what the pop-up from Swype, a popular iOS keyboard app, says: </p><div tml-image="ci01c6d5e3100199de" tml-image-caption="" tml-render-layout="inline"><figure><img src="http://a4.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,w_620/MTI4MDI0ODA2NjAyODczMzEw.png" /><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div><p>Well, at least it’s better than <a href="https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy/">Apple’s privacy policy</a> for its own software, which doesn’t even mention Siri or voice features at all.&nbsp;</p><p><em>Photos by Adriana Lee for ReadWrite</em></p>The company is sorry if it freaked you out.http://readwrite.com/2015/02/11/samsung-smart-tv-spying-surveillance-voice-privacy
http://readwrite.com/2015/02/11/samsung-smart-tv-spying-surveillance-voice-privacyPlayWed, 11 Feb 2015 06:00:00 -0800Adriana LeeFacebook's Latest "You Are The Product" Message: We Will, We Will, Sell You<!-- tml-version="2" --><div tml-image="ci01bdd4a8a00199de" tml-image-caption=""><figure><img src="http://a3.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTI1NDkwMTgzMTkyNzE3OTU1.jpg" /><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div><p>Facebook's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/about/terms-updates">latest iteration of its privacy policy</a><a href="http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2014/11/updating-our-terms-and-policies-helping-you-understand-how-facebook-works-and-how-to-control-your-information/"></a> is both the shortest and clearest so far about what it means to do with your personal information: Squeeze it for all the money it's worth.&nbsp;</p><p>Your privacy settings won't be changing, the social network explained Thursday in a blog post. But its rules for using your location and payment information (when that service is added) are getting an update to accommodate its expanding empire.</p><p>To augment—if not distract from—this reminder that it owns its users, Facebook simplified its privacy settings with color-coding and a "Privacy Basics" tutorial. &nbsp;</p><p>From the <a href="http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2014/11/updating-our-terms-and-policies-helping-you-understand-how-facebook-works-and-how-to-control-your-information/">Facebook blog post</a>:</p><blockquote><p>We’re updating our policies to explain how we get location information depending on the features you decide to use. Millions of people check into their favorite places and use optional features like <a href="http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2014/04/introducing-a-new-optional-feature-called-nearby-friends/">Nearby Friends</a>. We’re working on ways to show you the most relevant information based on where you are and what your friends are up to. For example, in the future, if you decide to share where you are, you might see menus from restaurants nearby or updates from friends in the area.</p></blockquote><p>While couched in the language of "friends," this is actually about targeted advertising. If Facebook knows exactly where you are, it know, it knows exactly which advertisements for local establishments to show you.&nbsp;</p><blockquote><p><strong>See also:&nbsp;<a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/11/07/mark-zuckerberg-t-shirt-facebook-silicon-valley">Mark Zuckerberg's Mythic T-Shirt And Fake Silicon Valley Do-Goodery</a></strong></p></blockquote><p>Soon too, Facebook will be able to help you spend that money by tapping into your wallet with those targeted ads:</p><blockquote><p>In some regions, we’re testing a Buy button that helps people discover and purchase products without leaving Facebook. We’re also working on new ways to make transactions even more convenient and secure.</p></blockquote><p>Facebook's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/update">new data policy</a> is where you'll find the explanation on the information collected when you buy something through the social network. This includes:</p><blockquote><p>... your credit or debit card number and other card information, and other account and authentication information, as well as billing, shipping and contact details.</p></blockquote><p>And more targeted advertising ensues.&nbsp;</p><p>In keeping with <a href="http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2011/11/facebook-settles-ftc-charges-it-deceived-consumers-failing-keep">Facebook's 2011 settlement with the Federal Communications Commission</a>, in which the social network agreed to give everyone a heads up on privacy changes, you've got seven days to comment on these changes.&nbsp;</p><p><em>Lead image by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mwichary/753181509">mwichary</a></em></p>And track your credit card, too.http://readwrite.com/2014/11/13/facebook-privacy-policy-transactions-data-location-targeted-advertising
http://readwrite.com/2014/11/13/facebook-privacy-policy-transactions-data-location-targeted-advertisingSocialThu, 13 Nov 2014 10:15:15 -0800Helen A.S. PopkinTim Cook Is Keeping Your Apple Data Safe From The Cops<!-- tml-version="2" --><p>Apple rolled out a massive update to its operating system on Wednesday, along with a significant update to its privacy policy<a href="http://www.apple.com/privacy/government-information-requests/"></a>. Beginning with iOS 8, Apple says data on your device is kept private, even from the police.</p><p>"Security and privacy are fundamental to the design of all our hardware, software, and services, including iCloud and new services like Apple Pay," CEO Tim Cook wrote in <a href="http://www.apple.com/privacy/">an open letter </a>published concurrently with Apple's new privacy policy.&nbsp;</p><blockquote><p><strong>See also: </strong><a href="http://readwrite.com/2013/05/02/apples-privacy-record-sucks-heres-why-you-should-care"><strong>Apple's Privacy Record Sucks. Here's Why You Should Care</strong></a></p></blockquote><p>Before making it "absolutely clear that we have never worked with any government agency from any country to create a backdoor in any of our products or services," Cook appears to single out Google, the company’s biggest competitor:</p><blockquote><p>“Our business model is very straightforward: We sell great products. We don’t build a profile based on your email content or web browsing habits to sell to advertisers. We don’t ‘monetize’ the information you store on your iPhone or in iCloud. And we don’t read your email or your messages to get information to market to you.”</p></blockquote><p>Cook’s letter also discussed the company’s plans to strengthen iCloud security. After the personal celebrity photo leak last month, hackers may be an even greater customer concern than government entities for the time being.</p><p>With iOS 7 and earlier, government entities were able to bring seized locked Apple devices to the company, where Apple could extract a significant amount of data. Apple's updated privacy policy explains the changes made with the new operating system.</p><p>"On devices running iOS 8, your personal data such as photos, messages (including attachments), email, contacts, call history, iTunes content, notes, and reminders is placed under the protection of your passcode," <a href="http://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy/">the privacy policy now reads</a>. </p><blockquote><p><strong>See also: </strong><a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/09/02/celebrity-photo-leak-apple-icloud-victim-blaming-slut-shaming"><strong>For Once, The Entire Internet Isn't Blaming The Victims Of This Nude Celebrity Photo Leak</strong></a></p></blockquote><p>"Unlike our competitors, Apple cannot bypass your passcode and therefore cannot access this data. So it's not technically feasible for us to respond to government warrants for the extraction of this data from devices in their possession running iOS 8."</p><p><em>Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jdhancock/4331271101/in/photolist-7AJTZX-9LYQxA-k19iJo-4YxqCu-fuREvq-h9stQK-uprma-bsKcwA-aJBzbe-7M7srS-LgJpn-owqaAE-6bnZ3K-7sCio4-9JTkdS-7N44BG-7E5kN2-cmLNAA-7MibmR-cKjxgW-e4fwyM-65u4XW-bQL316-u7SUe-2bne7b-8rnqUn-num7ui-fusrE6-nbp5jm-u7SUq-4xqJnT-3LzipB-nDPHPh-nyVkoQ-uprdX-eo13zh-nMjy9u-j9beW9-fnsp8E-bfnyPB-dG6neS-2XBB1-dWq1dF-o5kLpV-aavcT6-jSQ2xp-NELvA-9ktoRB-4r6nhX-kVQiv">JD Hancock.</a></em></p>iOS 8 makes complying with warrants impossible.http://readwrite.com/2014/09/18/apple-privacy-policy--police-ios8-tim-cook
http://readwrite.com/2014/09/18/apple-privacy-policy--police-ios8-tim-cookWebThu, 18 Sep 2014 07:31:45 -0700Lauren OrsiniHere’s A New Way Facebook Is Pushing You To Share Your Contact Information<!-- tml-version="2" --><p></p><div tml-image="ci01b27fcb30018266" tml-render-position="right" tml-render-size="medium"><figure><img src="http://a3.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTIyMzAwNjQ5MjEwNjc1ODE0.jpg" /></figure></div><p>Facebook would always rather you share more, not less, on the social network. Its latest tweak now puts your friends to work to cajole you to part with personal information you may not have wanted to put out there.</p><p>Users who have not disclosed their phone numbers, home addresses or personal emails on their Facebook profiles will start getting notifications from friends who want to know more.</p><p>In 2010, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg <a href="http://readwrite.com/2010/01/09/facebooks_zuckerberg_says_the_age_of_privacy_is_ov">said</a>, "People have really gotten comfortable not only sharing more information and different kinds, but more openly and with more people."</p><p>He added, "We view it as our role in the system to constantly be innovating and be updating what our system is to reflect what the current social norms are."</p><p>This latest change, however, seems more like an attempt to alter users' behavior than to cater to it.</p><h2>Share And Share Alike</h2><p>Previously, any information that wasn't shared on a person’s profile simply wasn’t listed. The prompt to share is new, Facebook confirmed to ReadWrite, a change that's been slowly <a href="http://allfacebook.com/ask-for-real-email-addresses_b127956">rolling out since late last year</a> but "ramping up” recently.</p><p>“This feature provides an easy way for friends to ask you for information that’s not already in your profile,” a Facebook spokesperson told ReadWrite in an email. “For example, a friend could ask you where you work, or for your email address.”</p><p>When you get the request, you'll get a prompt to share the information with the friend who requested it—or add it to your profile for all your friends to see.</p><p>It’s long been possible to adjust your settings to show your personal contact details to the public, friends, or no one, but those involve complicated privacy settings that most users avoid.</p><p>ReadWrite editor-in-chief Owen Thomas first encountered the new setting when he was looking for a friend’s email. What he saw was a link on her profile that said “Ask for [friend’s] email address.”</p><p>Curious, we then visited my profile, one that I’ve carefully crafted to show as little personal information as possible. We saw similar links, such as “Ask for Selena’s address.”&nbsp;</p><p></p><div tml-image="ci01b27fcba0016d19" tml-render-size="large"><figure><img src="http://a2.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,w_620/MTIyMzAwNjUxMzU4MTU0MDA5.png" /></figure></div><p>Facebook’s latest attempt to get you to share as much personal information is clever. In the past, Facebook has prompted users to fill out their work or school information—but the request came from Facebook itself, an impersonal approach that may have proven ineffective.</p><p>When Thomas asked for my address, I was prompted to fill out the location information, then choose whether to share with just him, or all my friends. While I might not mind my editor knowing where I live, the other 411 people I have as friends on Facebook—some I consider only mild acquaintances—I’d rather not know my location. And it requires only a simple inattentive click to share that with all of them. Reversing the decision <a href="https://www.facebook.com/help/334656726616576/">requires a hunt through privacy settings</a>.&nbsp;</p><h2>A Very Quiet Change</h2><p>The change is subtle. Facebook can argue that it's just making it easier to ask friends for their contact information. It’s common for people to send a Facebook message asking for a friend’s email address, for example.</p><p>And Facebook is competing with a host of social startups, like Snapchat, that rely on the address books in users’ phones to match them up, vitiating Facebook's advantage in having an authoritative list of users’ friends</p><p>As far as we can tell, with this new feature, Facebook is not changing its privacy policy or users' settings. (Last year the company&nbsp;<a href="http://readwrite.com/2013/10/10/facebook-privacy-setting-checkup">finally killed a privacy setting</a>&nbsp;that kept people from searching users by their name, and people were understandably irked.)&nbsp;But it is introducing a function that may change people's behavior, with unintended and risky consequences.</p><p>I received no notification letting me know friends could now request my phone number or address. The request just showed up.</p><p>Here's why that’s a problem: To put it plainly, Facebook is using your friends to guilt you into sharing contact information on the social network.</p><p></p><div tml-image="ci01b27fcc20018266" tml-render-position="right" tml-render-size="medium"><figure><img src="http://a3.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,w_620/MTIyMzAwNjUzMjM3MjAyMjAx.png" /></figure></div><p>There is no way to prevent friends from requesting your information. According to the Facebook spokesperson, only people you're friends with can ask for your information, and they are required to say why they want it.</p><p>This feature may help cut down on messages bugging you for contact information. It might even help users who didn’t realize they could efficiently share their phone number or email address with their Facebook friends.</p><p>But Facebook should notify users that it's coming, and create a setting that lets people opt out. That's better than turning our profiles into one long list of fill-in-the-blanks.</p>The social network now prompts friends to ask you for more personal details.http://readwrite.com/2014/01/28/facebook-contact-information-request
http://readwrite.com/2014/01/28/facebook-contact-information-requestSocialTue, 28 Jan 2014 06:01:00 -0800Selena Larson